1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to display devices in which pointers are used and, more particularly, to display devices which use rotary pointers driven by stepping motors and which are particularly suitable for cameras.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally stepping motors are used as drive sources for the hands of clocks and other pointer devices because they are small and have high reliability. In addition, they are inexpensive because they are manufactured in very large quantities, and are used as drive sources for many types of display devices.
However, resetting can be a problem in clocks and other display devices driven by stepping motors where several pointers are above the same face, particularly when one or more hands are used in a stopwatch function. If the starting point position of the pointers becomes displaced, due to faulty drive or due to battery exchange, it was heretofore very troublesome to use stepping motors to rotate the pointers to reset the starting point positions of the individual pointers.
In some clocks, this problem was solved by applying mechanical limiting members to bring about rotation of the hands. This enables the set values of some physical quantities and measuring values to be reset to the starting point position after battery exchange. However, due to the arrangement of components, positioning space cannot be provided for mechanical limiting members in small apparatus, such as cameras.